noun · feminine
alētheias
Strong’sG225
truth
stem alēthei-109 times in the New Testamentin 23 of 27 books4 of 10 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Truth, in the sense of objective fact or reality as opposed to mere appearance or falsehood — the actual state of a matter, including religious truth and Christian teaching in particular 13. Strong's and Dodson give the plain gloss "truth" 24.
Truthfulness, in the sense of sincerity and integrity of character rather than merely speaking correctly — a quality of a person's conduct and words 13.
The word also occurs in set phrases meaning "in truth," "speak the truth," and "do/practice the truth" 1.
In the Greek Old Testament the word is also used for the jewel called the Thummim worn by the high priest 3.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἀλήθεια, -ας, ἡ
(< ἀληθής), [in LXX chiefly for אֱמֶת (on which, v. Cremer, 627f.), אֱמוּנָה;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G225 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidal-ay'-thi-a
truth
Fromfrom G227;
King Jamestrue, X truly, truth, verity.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
Doric dialect ἀλάθεια (also ἀλαθείᾱRefs 7th c.BC+ ἀληθεί; Ionic dialect ἀληθείη:
I truth, opposed to lie or mere appearance:
I.1 in Refs 8th c.BC+ only opposed to a lie, frequently in phrase ἀληθείην καταλέξαιRefs 8th c.BC+; παιδὸς πᾶσαν ἀ. μυθεῖσθαι to tell whole truth about the lad, Refs 8th c.BC+; proverbial, οἶνος καὶ ἀ. `in vino veritas', Alc.[same place], etc.; ἁπλᾶ γάρ ἐστι τῆς ἀ. ἔπηRefs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. ἔχειν to be true, Refs 5th c.BC+
I.2 after Refs 8th c.BC+ also truth, reality, opposed to appearance, σὺν ἀλαθείᾳ καλῶνRefs 5th c.BC+ — in adverbial usages, τῇ ἀ. in very truth, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τοῦ πράγματος in truth and reality, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείᾳ for the sake of truth, Refs 5th c.BC+; also, according to truth and nature, Refs 5th c.BC+
I.3 real war, opposed to exercise or parade, Refs 2nd c.BC+
I.4 true event, realization of dream or omen, Refs 5th c.BC+
II of persons, truthfulness, sincerity, Refs 5th c.BC+
III *)a. personified, Refs 5th c.BC+
IV symbol of truth, jewel worn by Egyptian high-priest, Refs 1st c.BC+: of the Thummim, LXX
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | alētheias14×ἀλήθεια | alētheiais |
| object accusative | alētheian22×ἀλήθειαν | alētheiain |
| direct address vocative | alētheiar | alētheiair |
| of, belonging to genitive | alētheiau43×ἀληθείας | alētheiaiu |
| to, for dative | alētheia30×ἀληθείᾳ | alētheiai |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
alētheia is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
109 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
alētheias“truth”subjectnominative singular14×
John 1:17… Mōusou dōita, tas charitas kai tas alētheias dia Iēsu Christou geneta.… was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 8:32kai gnōskevi tan alētheian, kai tas alētheias eleutherati vin.… will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:44… alētheia ouk stēate, hoti ouk atō alētheias en auto. hotan lalateiō tem pseudem, …… the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in …
John 14:6… Mis amō tas hodas kai tas alētheias kai tas zōas; oudenos erchotō pros …… I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes …
John 17:17… ta alētheia; tos logos tos sos alētheias atō.… by the truth; Your word is truth.
John 18:38legatō auto tos Pilatos; Tinem atō alētheias? Kai houtem legarantos palin exerchata pros …“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this …
Romans 3:7“truth”ei de tas alētheias tou theou en te ēme pseusme …However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to …
2 Corinthians 7:14… tas kauchēsias nu tas epi Titou alētheias genita.… to Titus has proved to be true as well.
2 Corinthians 11:10atō alētheias Christou en mi hoti tas kauchēsias …As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this …
Galatians 2:5… hōran eikana ta hupotaga, hina tas alētheias teu euangelieu diamenateia pros vin.… for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with …
Ephesians 4:21… kai en auto didaskiva, kathōs atō alētheias en to Iēso,… in Him— in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—
1 John 1:8… ouk echanō, heautoin plananō kai tas alētheias ouk atō en ni.… sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 2:4… pseustos atō, kai en houto tas alētheias ouk atō;… he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 5:6… marturarōntem, hoti tem pneumem atō tas alētheias.… this, because the Spirit is the truth.
alētheian“truth”objectaccusative singular22×
Mark 5:33… auto kai legata auto pantan tan alētheian.… and she told Him the whole truth.
John 3:21tos de poiarōntos tan alētheian erchotō pros tem fōtem, hina faneriteia …But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that …
John 8:32kai gnōskevi tan alētheian, kai tas alētheias eleutherati vin.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you …
John 8:40… zētavō min apoktenara, anthrōpon hos tan alētheian vi lalamē han akouama para tou …… man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham …
John 8:45mis de hoti tan alētheian legamō, ouk pisteuavō mi.But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!
John 8:46… vu elenchatō min peri hamartau? ei alētheian legamō, dia tinem vis ouk pisteuavō …… of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me?
John 16:7alla mis tan alētheian legamō vi, sumferatō vi hina mis …But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that …
Romans 1:18… asebeian kai adikian anthrōpoiu toiu tan alētheian en adikia katecharōntoiu,… wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
Romans 1:25hotinois metallaxala tan alētheian tou theou en te pseude, kai …They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and …
Romans 2:2… tem krimem tou theou atō kata alētheian epi toin teim toiouteim prassarōntoin.… do such things is based on truth.
Romans 9:1Alētheian legamō en Christo, ouk pseudomō, summarturarōntau …I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying …
2 Corinthians 12:6… gar thelameia kauchera, ouk emi afronos, alētheian gar legami; feidomō de, mē tinos …… because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one …
Galatians 2:14… horama hoti ouk orthopodalō pros tan alētheian teu euangelieu, legama to Kēfo emprosthen …… not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to …
Ephesians 4:25“truth”Dio apotitherantois tem pseudem lalavōr alētheian hekastos meta tou plēsion autou, hoti …Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are …
1 Timothy 2:7“truth”… hem tithima mis kērukos kai apostolos alētheian legamō, ouk pseudomō didaskalos ethneiu en …For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.
1 Timothy 4:3… eucharistiau toi pistoi kai epignōskarēntoi tan alētheian.… those who believe and know the truth.
2 Timothy 2:18hotinois peri tan alētheian astochala, legarōntois anastasian ēdē genarē, kai …who have deviated from the truth. They say that the resurrection has …
Titus 1:14… muthoi kai entolai anthrōpoiu apostreforōntoiu tan alētheian.… of men who have rejected the truth.
1 John 1:6… peripataneiō, pseudonō kai ouk poianō tan alētheian;… lie and do not practice the truth.
1 John 2:21… grafama vi hoti ouk oidavē tan alētheian, alla hoti oidavē autan, kai hoti …… because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and …
2 John 1:1… alla kai pantois tois gnōskarēntois tan alētheian,… but also all who know the truth —
2 John 1:2dia tan alētheian tan menarōntan en ni, kai meta …because of the truth that abides in us and will …
alētheiau“truth”of, belonging togenitive singular43×, 34 shown
Mark 12:14… blepasō eis prosōpem anthrōpoiu, alla epi alētheiau tan hodan tou theou didaskasō; exestinatō …… of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes …
Mark 12:32… auto tos grammatevos; Kalōs, didaskalor, epi alētheiau legasa hoti henos atō kai ouk …… the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there …
Luke 4:25“truth”epi alētheiau de legamō vi, pollais chērais ale …But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in …
Luke 20:21… kai ouk labasō prosōpem, alla epi alētheiau tan hodan tou theou didaskasō;… of God in accordance with the truth.
Luke 22:59“truth”… henau allosos tinos diischurizote legarōntos; Epi alētheiau kai houtos meta autou ate, kai …About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with Him, for he …
John 1:14… monogenou para patrou, plēros charitau kai alētheiau;… the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 14:17tem pneumem tau alētheiau, hem tos kosmos ouk dunotō labara, …the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because …
John 15:26… para tou patrou, tem pneumem tau alētheiau hem para tou patrou ekporeuotō, ekeinos …… from the Father — the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father — He …
John 16:13… de erchateia ekeinos, tem pneumem tau alētheiau, hodēgati vin en ta alētheia panta, …However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into …
John 18:37… alētheia; pantos tos arōntos ek tau alētheiau akouatō mu tau fōnau.… truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”
Acts 4:27sunagila gar epi alētheiau en ta pola houta epi ton …In fact, this is the very city where …
Acts 10:34“truth”… de Petros tem stomem legata; Epi alētheiau katalabomō hoti ouk atō prosōpolēmptos tos …Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does …
Acts 26:25… Ouk mainomō, fēatō, kratistor Fēstor, alla alētheiau kai sōfrosunau rēmeim apofthengomō.… Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.
Romans 2:20… tan morfōsian tau gnōsiau kai tau alētheiau en to nomo… law the embodiment of knowledge and truth —
Romans 15:8… gar Christon diakonon genorē peritomau huper alētheiau theou, eis tem bebaiara tain epangeliain …… the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to …
1 Corinthians 5:8… ponēriau, alla en azumei eilikrineiau kai alētheiau.… unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.
2 Corinthians 4:2… tou theou, alla ta fanerōsia tau alētheiau sustēarōntois heautoin pros pantan suneidēsian anthrōpoiu …… contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s …
2 Corinthians 6:7“truth”en logo alētheiau, en dunamia theou; dia teiu hopleiu …in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness …
2 Corinthians 13:8ouk gar dunonō tinem kata tau alētheiau, alla huper tau alētheiau.… we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.
2 Corinthians 13:8… kata tau alētheiau, alla huper tau alētheiau.… the truth, but only for the truth.
Ephesians 1:13… kai vis akouarantois ton logon tau alētheiau, tem euangeliem tau sōtērēau vu, en …… heard and believed the word of truth — the gospel of your salvation — you …
Ephesians 4:24… ktiziranton en dikaiosuna kai hosiota tau alētheiau.… created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 1:5… han proakouava en to logo tau alētheiau teu euangelieu… already heard in the word of truth, the gospel
2 Thessalonians 2:10… apolorōntoi, anti heiu tan agapan tau alētheiau ouk dechela eis tem sōzira autoin;… they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
2 Thessalonians 2:13… sōtērēan en hagiasmo pneumeu kai pistia alētheiau,… Spirit and by faith in the truth.
1 Timothy 2:4… anthrōpoin thelatō sōzira kai eis epignōsian alētheiau erchara.… come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:15… theou zōarōntou, stulos kai hedraiōmem tau alētheiau;… the pillar and foundation of the truth.
1 Timothy 6:5… anthrōpoiu ton nouon kai aposterorēntoiu tau alētheiau, nomizarōntoiu porismon arō tan eusebeian.… mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a …
2 Timothy 2:15… ergaton anepaischunton, orthotomarōnton ton logon tau alētheiau.… who accurately handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:25… autoi tos theos metanoian eis epignōsian alētheiau,… leading to a knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 3:7pantote matharōnteim kai mēdepote eis epignōsian alētheiau erchara dunorōnteim.… come to a knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 4:4kai apo men tau alētheiau tan akoan apostrefali, epi de toin …… turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Titus 1:1… kata pistian eklektoiu theou kai epignōsian alētheiau tau kata eusebeian… elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,
Hebrews 10:26… meta tem labara tan epignōsian tau alētheiau, ouketi peri hamartaiu apolipotō thusias,… have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
alētheia“truth”to, fordative singular30×
Matthew 22:16… kai tan hodan tou theou en alētheia didaskasō, kai ouk meleiatō si peri …… of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one …
John 4:23… proskunali to patro en pneume kai alētheia, kai gar tos patros toioutoin zētatō …… the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such …
John 4:24… toin proskunarōntoin auton en pneume kai alētheia datō proskunarō.… worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
John 5:33… apostelavē pros Iōannon, kai marturatē ta alētheia;… and he has testified to the truth.
John 8:44… ate apo archau, kai en ta alētheia ouk stēate, hoti ouk atō alētheias …… the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he …
John 16:13… tau alētheiau, hodēgati vin en ta alētheia panta, ouk gar lalati apo heautou, …… He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on …
John 17:17hagiazasar autoin en ta alētheia; tos logos tos sos alētheias atō.Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
John 17:19… hina aleiō kai autois hagiazorēntois en alētheia.… too may be sanctified by the truth.
John 18:37… eis ton kosmon hina marturameia ta alētheia; pantos tos arōntos ek tau alētheiau …… the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth …
Romans 2:8… de ek eritheiau kai apeitharōntoi ta alētheia peithorōntoi de ta adikia orgas kai …… are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be …
1 Corinthians 13:6… epi ta adikia, sunchairatō de ta alētheia;… in evil, but rejoices in the truth.
2 Corinthians 7:14“truth”… ouk kataischunima, alla hōs panteim en alētheia lalana vi, houtōs kai tas kauchēsias …… I was not embarrassed by anything I had boasted to him about you. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to Titus …
Galatians 5:7Trechave kalōs; tinos vin enkoptata ta alētheia mē peithorō?… has obstructed you from obeying the truth?
Ephesians 5:9… en panta agathōsuna kai dikaiosuna kai alētheia,… consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.
Ephesians 6:14… oun perizōnerantois tan osfuan vu en alētheia, kai enduerantois ton thōrakon tau dikaiosunau,… firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the …
Philippians 1:18“truth”… hoti panto tropo, eite profasia eite alētheia, Christos katangelotō, kai en houte chairamō; …… Just this: that in every way, whether by false motives or true, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and …
Colossians 1:6“truth”… epignōskava tan charitan tou theou en alētheia;… and truly understood the grace of God.
2 Thessalonians 2:12… krinileia pantois tois mē pisteuarantois ta alētheia alla eudokarantois ta adikia.… upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.
1 Timothy 2:7… pseudomō didaskalos ethneiu en pistia kai alētheia.… the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.
2 Timothy 3:8… Mōuso, houtōs kai houtois antistēolō ta alētheia, anthrōpois kataftherorēntois ton nouon, adokimois peri …… so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and …
2 Peter 1:12… horarēntoin kai stērizorēntoin en ta pareiarōnta alētheia.… them and are established in the truth you now have.
1 John 3:18… ta glōssa alla en erge kai alētheia.… and speech, but in action and truth.
2 John 1:1… teknei autau, hoin mis agapamō en alētheia, kai ouk mis monos alla kai …… children, whom I love in the truth — and not I alone, but also …
2 John 1:3… Christou tou huiou tou patrou, en alētheia kai agapa.… Father, will be with us in truth and love.
2 John 1:4… ek teiu tekneiu su peripatarōntoin en alētheia, kathōs entolan labana para tou patrou.… of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father has commanded …
3 John 1:1… to agapēto, hon mis agapamō en alētheia.… Gaius, whom I love in the truth:
3 John 1:3… erchorōntoiu adelfoiu kai marturarōntoiu su ta alētheia, kathōs sis en alētheia peripatasō.… testified about your devotion to the truth, in which you continue to walk.
3 John 1:3“truth”… su ta alētheia, kathōs sis en alētheia peripatasō.… testified about your devotion to the truth, in which you continue to …
3 John 1:4… akouameiō teim ēmeim tekneim en ta alētheia peripatarōnteim.… my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:8… toin toioutoin, hina sunergois genoneiō ta alētheia.… may be fellow workers for the truth.